Jharkhand Soccer (Football) Tournaments!

We are so excited to share with our community about the 2024 Jharkhand Soccer (Football) Tournaments for girls’, annual events hosted and organized by our partner in the state of Jharkhand, Naya Sawera Vikas Kendra (NSVK). The annual tournaments are a part of Lotus Outreach’s work in Jharkhand, implementing community projects that nurture and empower women and girls from tribal indigenous areas in the region. We’d especially like to thank our donors who give up coffee monthly through 1000 Coffee and directly support these regional soccer tournaments! 

The tournaments are an incredible opportunity to not only empower girls through sports and support athletic talent, but also to bring communities together for a joyous occasion that centers girls’ joy and confidence. The tournaments are truly catalysts of social change The events are a collaborative effort with entire village communities rallying together and police assuming the role of guardians. Villagers go above and beyond to ensure access to clean drinking water for the young athletes. 

During July 2024, two district-level girls’ football tournaments were held, one in Bahoranpur (Hazaribagh District) and Palkot (Gumla District), which brought together 25 teams and 375 participants in total. In Bahoranpur, 11 teams and 165 players from many different villages came together. The football grounds were improved including the installation of goal posts and nets, new cement benches, changing rooms, and basic amenities. Our education hub there doubles as a room for the girls to prepare, supporting the professional development of the league and events. Players use the space to strategize and gather before practice, too. Every girl receives cleats and a uniform. The Chaurhetta team clinched the winner’s title, earning a cash prize as a result! In Palkot, 14 teams with a total of 210 girls participating gathered for a three-day football tournament. The Rampur team, traveling 45 kilometers to the site, won the tournament and received a cash prize!

Anima Kumari from Chapar Toli, Banai Village, Gumla, felt heartbroken after her team narrowly lost the final match due to a penalty shootout. However, she soon realized that this was the essence of the game—one team wins, and another loses. Despite being the runner-up, she was proud of the effort she and her team put into the match. What brought her great joy was the support from Naya Sawera Vikas Kendra and the fact that, even as runners-up, they received football jerseys. “It means so much to us,” Anima said. “The jersey is a symbol that we were part of the game, not just spectators. We also received a football, which will help us continue practicing. This tournament is more than just a sport to us; it’s a reminder that we are alive and thriving, and these memories will last a lifetime.”

Makhsi Ekka from Badka Toli, Devgaon, was the hero of her team, scoring the winning goal in the final penalty shootout despite the pressure from the opposing team’s taunts. “When I scored, everyone cheered for me, and I felt like a hero! Wearing the jersey made the memory even more special. Now, when I show that photograph to anyone, I can proudly say I was the key player. Without the jersey, it wouldn’t have had the same impact—the uniform added a special shine to that moment.”

The tournaments are an amazing feat as events like this are out of the ordinary but just what these girls need. Local leaders attended the prize distribution ceremonies and professional referees were hired to ensure the professionalism of the games. There is an overall professional atmosphere which contributes to the girls’ sense of pride in the sport. The tournaments are a physical and mental challenge for the girls, while extremely joyful. 

Although the tournaments are a joyful occasion, they also hold a deeper meaning for these communities, serving as a testament to the possibility of centering young women and girls’ joy, confidence, and strength. In these communities girls face harmful stereotypes and other risks to empowered and self-determined lives, therefore the region-wide events are transforming local attitudes and girls’ experiences on a collective scale. 

We are deeply grateful to our donors who ensure the empowerment of LO beneficiaries through innovative and life-changing community projects such as this. Thank you for joining us in making a meaningful difference in the lives of these girls. The atmospheres of the events were nothing short of spectacular, brimming with palpable excitement, infectious laughter, and heartwarming smiles!

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